US President threatens to impose more sanctions on N Korea

Donald Trump threatened to impose major sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyang’s latest test of a ballistic missile that appeared capable of reaching most if not all of the US mainland.

The US president’s remarks were followed by UN ambassador Nikki Haley saying the ballistic missile launch “brings us closer to war” at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, which would end the North Korean regime.

Trump said in a tweet he had spoken with Chinese leader Xi Jinping about “the provocative actions of North Korea”, and promised: “Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!”

In remarks later on Wednesday (29) at a public event in Missouri, Trump departed from a speech about tax cuts to aim a barb at the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who he has previously referred to as “Little Rocket Man”. “Little Rocket Man, he is a sick puppy,” the president said.

Trump also apparently “emphasized the need for China to use all available levers to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearization”.